Doorcheck



1,689,001 6. H. WALDBAUER I Oct. 23, 1928.

DOOR CH/ECK 2 SheetsSheet 1' Filed March 31, 1927 Get. 23, 1928. 1,689,001

G. H. WALDBAUER noon CHECK Filed March 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i show the construction.

Patented Get. 23, 1928.

, UNITED ST GEORGE H. WALDBAUER, F BRIDGEPOB/l, CONNECTICUT.

DOORCHECK.

Application filed March 31, 1927. Serial No. 179,803.

This invention relates to a door check, and has for an object to provide a check for controlling the operation of a door which is entirely mechanical, and therefore, will do away with the use of fluids or dash pots as now commonly employed.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a door check in which the opening movement of the door is free except for the pressure of the spring used to close the door, and it is a further object of the invention to provide a check in which the door during the larger part of the closing movement is free and is not operated against any resistance, but is checked a short distance from the en tirely closed position so that there is no slamming of the door, the door being held in this position for a short time and then completely closed with a quick action, which, however, is not a slamming action.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. In these drawings,

Fig.1 is a top plan view of a door showing my improved check in position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of this check with the covering casing removed, certain portions being broken away to more clearly Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the position of ti e parts when the door is closed.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectionsubstantially on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the same plane as Fig. 3 showing the upper portions of the mechanism in the position they occupy when the door is in the arrested position just prior to complete closing.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the ratchet mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the timing mechanism control, and

Fig. 8 is a detail of the mounting for the spring operated lever of the check.

A door is indicated merely in outline at 10, Fig. 1, mounted to swing about the usual hinges 11 in a frame 12. The check proper 13 may be mounted on the door or on a member of the frame. In the present showing it is mounted on the door and has a swinging lever 14 connected to an adjustable link 15 by a pivot 16, this link being pivoted at 17 to a bracket 18 secured to the door frame. It will be apparent that when the door is swung to the open. position the arm or lever 14 will be swung about its pivot, and there is a convolute spring 19 connected'to this lever, which spring will function to swing the door back to its closed position. a

This'spring is preferably mounted in a drum or barrel 20 mounted on a stationary support, such as a plate 21, secured tothe base or bed 22 which is secured to the door by any suitable means, such as screws or bolts, through the openings 23. There is a similar plate 24 spaced from the'plate 21 and per manently secured to the base 22. A transverse shaft 25 is pivotally mounted in these plates 21 and 24 and carries the arm or lever 14 which is connected to the shaft by apivoted pawl 26 on the leverand a ratchet 27 secured to the shaft. The ratchet includes a hexagonal or other polygonally's'haped sec tion 28 by which the ratchet maybe rotated and with it the shaft 25 to adjust the tension of the spring 19 which is secured at its inner end to this shaft. The'outer end of this spring is connected .to the drum 20, and the connections are so arranged thatthis spring tends to swing the arm 14 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5, and in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in extending through a slot 31 in the plate 24, I

and this stud projects through an opening 32 in the disc 29 so that this disc moves with the lever 14. It is preferred that a cushioning element 33 be carried by the disc and engaging one side of the stud 30 so as to reduce to a large extent anyjar incident to-sudden stopping of the movement of the disc. This cushioning element may be a block of rubber secured by a suitable strap 34.

Mounted in the base 22 is a timing mechanism in the form of a clock works comprising any desired numberv of intermeshing gearsand pinions 35, 36 and 37 The gear 35 is driven through a pawl and ratchet 38 -39, the pawl being on the gear and the ratchet on the shaft 40. This shaft is connected to the inner end of a coil spring41 and also to a lever 42, the other end of this spring being connected to a stationary enclosing casing 43. The lever 42 has an arm 44 at right angles to the shaft 40 and'another arm 45 exclosed and the elements are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, lies in the path of movement of the end 46 of a segment 47 carried by the disc 29 and extending inwardly from the inner surface thereof. On one side of the arm 44 is a slidable bar 48, this bar being mounted for reciprocating movements in a guiding strip 49, and this bar carries a stop lug 50 adapted to be engaged under certain conditions by the arm 44. This lug also is adapted'to engage one side of the guiding strap 49 to limit movements of the bar in one direction. This bar 48 is connected at one end, as shown at 51, to aswinging stop lever 52. This lever is pivoted at its upper end, as shown at 53 to an upright supporting V bracket 54 mounted on the base 22, and this lever 52 carries a stop having a transverse top portion 55 and a longitudinal portion A spring 57 mounted in the base is connected to the lower end of this lever 52, as shown at 58, and tends to swing the lower end of this shown at 76, but the element carries a lateral extension 77 engaging under the lever 60. Thus the element 63 may swing a certain amount to the left on the lever 60 but when forced to the right by the spring 65 until the lug 77 engages under the lever 60 it will then be rigid with the lever and will tend to swing the lever in the same direction. This element 63 has a curved edge 64, and the spring 65,

referably mounted on the pivot 61, has a ree arm 66 engaging a pin 67 and thus tends to swingthe lever 60 clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5. Thus this spring tends to raise the free end of the lever and also to shift the stop element 63 to the right. A stop 68 carried by the bracket 54 limits the upward movement of this lever. A stop pin 69 is carried by the disc 29, and under certain conditions,as will presently be described, is adapted to engage the end of the element 63 and hold the disc 29 and the lever 14 against movement.

' 73 ten dsto hold this lever against the gear to prevent its rotating. The free end of the lever lies in the ath of movement of a lug 74 carried by the isc 29, and the lever is sufficiently flexible or loosely mounted to yield laterally downwardly to permit the lug 7 4 to pass when the disc is rotated counterclock- Wiseas viewed in Figs. 3 and 5. The lever is so located that the end of the lug engages the top surface thereof so as to force the lever laterally downwardly withoutswinging it on 7 is given the proper tension by means of the ratchet 27so that it will tend to hold the lever 14 in the proper position for holding the door closed. The end 7 5 of the slot 31 may form a limit stop to limit the movement of the lever in this direction when free, but of course, ordinarily the slamming strips for the door will arrest movement of the door with the stud 30 a short distance from the stop, which arrangement will insure a complete closure of the door. WVhen the door is swung to the open position the lever 14 is swung tothe left or counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. This movement of the lever will, of course, rotate the shaft 25 connected to the spring 19 and will wind the spring a certain" amount. This movement of the lever will also carry with it the disc 29through the action of the stud 30, this stud moving in the slot 31. It will be noted the only resistance to this movement is the spring 19, and therefore, the person opening the door is not required to overcome the resistance of a dash pot or similar device and the door is relatively free.

Of course, movement of the disc 29 will carry with it the segment 47, the lug 74 and the stop pin 69, from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these figures showing substantially the position of the elements when the door is closed. WVhile the elements are in this position the stop pin 60 cooperating with the edge 64 of the element 63 holds this element to the left and downwardly, and it also holds the free end 62 of the lever 60 in its lower position. As the lever 14 and disc 29 are moved counterclockwise by this opening movement the pin 69 releases the lever 60 and allows the spring 65 to swing the element 63 to the right and raise the free end 62 of the lever 60 to the position shown in Fig. 5, this movement being limited by the stop 68. This brings the extension 62 above the stop shoulder 55.. Further movement of the disc 29 causes the free end 46 of the segment 47 to engage the'arm 45 of the lever 42 connected to the spring 41 of the clock mechanism, and will swing this lever to the right or clockwise as viewed in Fig. 7. This will wind the clock spring 41, and the lever 42 is held in this position by the edge of the segment 47 during further movement of the disc 29 in this direction. Movement of the lever 42 to the position of Fig. 7 will swing the arm 44 of this lever to the left away from the stop lug 50 on the sliding bar'48 and will permit the spring 57 to swing the lower end of lever 52 outwardly. or to. the left. This movement-will carry .the stop. shoulder 55 under the end 62 of the lever. 60 and will retain it in the elevated position of Fig. 5.

During the movement of the disc 29 incident to the opening of the door the end of the lug 74 has engaged the top of the brake lever 70 forcing it downwardly so that the lug has passed to the right of this lever. Should now the door be released it is free to swing backwardly toward the closed position under the action of the spring 19, and there are no dash pots or other similar devices tending to prevent this movement, and the door, there fore, swings free toward closed position. To prevent slamming, however, this movement of the door is arrested a short distance before it reaches complete closed position by engagement of the stop pin 69 with the free end of the element 63 as shown in Fig. 5. This element 63 was moved to this position by the spring 65 at the time it was released when the door was swung to the open position and when the lever 60 was raised. As the free end 62 of the lever 60 now rests on the stop shoulder 55 the element 63 cannot yield and will stop movementof the disc 29 and lever 14, and will prevent further closing of the door. The elements are now in substantially the position of Fig. 5. The jar incident to the engagement of the pin 69 with the element 63 will be taken by the rubber cushioning block 33 against the stud 30. The pivot 76 and the stop lug 7 7 for the element 63 are so located that the pressure of the pin 69 is to the right of the pivot, and therefore, while lever 60 is in the raised position element 63 will not swing to the left about pivot 7 6 and release pin 69.

During the reverse movement of the disc 29 the segment 47 has moved away from the arm of the lever 42. Therefore, the shaft 40 carrying this lever and the ratchet 39 may be swung to the left or countercloclnvise as viewed in Figs. 6 and 7 under the action of the spring 41. This movement will through the pawl and ratchet 38-39 rotate the gear 35 but the speed of rotation of the gear will be controlled by the gear train 3637. It is not desirable, however, to permit this gear 35 and the lever 42 to rotate before the door has reached the position of the elements shown in Fig. 5, because if some one should again move the door to open position before the door was closed there would be no stop 63 to catch the door on its next closing movement. This is because the clock mechanism after acertainv time releases the stop 63 and moves it away from the pin 69. The brake lever 70 is, therefore, held in engagement with its 'ear 37 to prevent rotation of the clock mechanism until the elements reach the position of Fig. 5 or the door is nearly closed. In this position the lug 74 engages the side of the b ake lever 70, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and allows the clock mechanism to operate. 7 This permits the lever 42 to swing to theleft or counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 7. Toward the end of the movement of this lever itsarm 44 engages the stop on the bar 43 and shifts this bar to the right until the other end of the stop 50 engages the guide stop 49 and'limits further movement of the bar and also the lever 42. This movement of the bar 48 to the right'swings the lever 52 to the right moving the stop shoulder 55 from beneath the. end 62 of the lever 60. This will permit this free end of the lever to drop under pressure from the pin 69 and will allow this pin to run down the curved edge 64 of this element 63,

the element being free to swing to the left about its pivot 76 as soon as pressure of pin 69 is to the left of this pivot. This will, of course, release the disc 29 and permit th spring 19 to completely close the door. During its latter movementthe lug 74 is moved,

away from the brake lever 70 allowing it to be swung by the spring 73 again intoengage- I d ment with its gear 37. The elements are now in the position of Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be apparent from this operation that the check is entirely mechanical, there being no fluid dash pots or similar devices against the resistance of which the door must be swung to open position, and therefore, the only resistance to be overcome by the operator is thatof the spring 19. lVhen releasec the door is swung freely toward closed position by the spring 19, but just before it reaches the. completely closed position its mmoment is arrested by thestop pin 69 entime and only sufficient to prevent slamming of the door. After the door is released by the clock mechanism it is quickly and silent ly swung to'the completely closed position by the spring 19. It will also be apparent that the control mechanism is not made ineffective by intermediate or less than complete movements of the door and the elements connected thereto, because the brake mechanism prevents functioning of the clock mechanism until the movement of the door is arrested just before complete closure. I The mechanism may be enclosed by a suitable cover at casing 78.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

v 1. In a door check, a lever, means for pivotally connecting said lever to a door and a stationary element so that movements of'the the lever after a given time and permit the spring to complete the closing movement.

2. In a door check, in combination, a lever, a spring tending to swing the lever to close the door, a stop mechanism to arrest move ment of thelever prior to complete closing ofithe door and hold it in that position, and a clock mechanism to releasesaid stop to permit closing of the door.

3. In a door check, in combination, a lever arm, a spring tending to swing the arm to close the door, a disc connected to the arm to turn therewith, a stop carried by the disc, a pivoted lever carrying an element adapted to engage said stop to arrest movement of the arm before the door is completely closed, means to swing the lever to move said element into the path of movement of the stop, means toretain the lever in this position, and a timing mechanism to release the lever after a given time.

4. In a door check, in combination, a lever arm, a spring tending to swing the arm to close the door, a disc connected to move with the lever, a stop carried by the disc, a movable stop element adapted to engage said stop to arrest movement of the door, a spring tending to move said element into the path of movement of said stop, a catch to retain the element in this position, and a timing mechanism for releasing said catch and controlled by means connected to said lever.

5. In a door check, in combination, a lever arm adapted for connection to a door, a spring tending to swing said arm to close the door, a disc movable with said arm,a stop in position to check movement of said arm a short time before the door closes, means for releasing said stop to allow the door to close comprising a clock mechanism operated by a spring, means on the disc for winding to arrest movement of said arm before the door closes, a catch controlling said stop element, a clock mechanlsm controlling said a and means on the disc for concatch, and means movable with said arm for controlling the clock mechanism.

7. In a door check, in combination, a lever arm adapted to be connected to a door, a spring tending to swing said arm to close the door, a disc movable with the lever, a

stop carried by the disc, a stop element 'ar ranged to cooperate with said stop to arrest movement of the disc and lever to prevent complete closing of the door, a catch :controlling said stop element, a clock mechanism for controlling side catch including a spring, a segment carried by the disc, a lever for winding the spring and extending into the path of movement of the end of said segment to be operated thereby, the edge of the segment holding said lever against reverse movement, a catch controlled by said lever and controlling said stop element,a brake mechanism to prevent operation of the clock mechanism, except when the arm is in a given position, and means movable with the arm to release the clock mechanism when thearm is in this given position to permit the clock mechanism to function.

8., In a door check, in combination, a lever arm adapted to be connected to a. door, a spring tending to swing said arm to close the door, a stop arranged to arrest movement of said arm a short time before the door reaches closed position and having no effect on the arm at other times, and a timing mechanism for releasing said stop after. a given time to free the door to permit complete and free closing movement of the door.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE H. WALDBAUER. 

